Dual mode wireless communication devices, also known as mobile handsets, cellular phones, etc., include a cellular radio for connection to a wireless area network (WAN) and another wireless communication radio for connection to a wireless local area network (WLAN). An example of a WAN is a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, and an example of a WLAN is a 802.11 network. Presently, single mode wireless communication devices include a preferred roaming list (PRL) that is maintained and updated by a service provider. The service provider is typically the cellular network provider, which may also be referred to as a carrier. Typically, the PRL includes an acquisition index section and a system record section. The acquisition index section defines, among other things, the radio parameters for connecting to a particular system, for example, cellular or WLAN. The system records section defines a plurality of entries such as identification of the access points, for example, base stations or wireless access points, and authentication information.
The current arrangement presents various shortcomings. First, since the PRL is maintained by the service provider, the user will have limited or no ability to specify preferences and make unique modifications. These limitations will become even more aggravated as access points for WLANs become increasingly ubiquitous and installed on an ad hoc bases. In order to access these ad hoc networks, the user must contact the service provider in order to enable support for connection to these ad hoc networks which is inconvenient and results in consumer dissatisfaction.
Secondly, if the user makes modifications to the PRL, then subsequent updates to the PRL by the service provider may overwrite the previous modifications supplied by the user, result in unwanted loss of user data. In those cases where the user cannot make a modification to the PRL, the user will not have the ability to connect to certain ad hoc networks that are not supported by the service provider, thereby severely limiting the user's accessibility to WLAN devices.